Improvement in cotton-presses



g UNITED STATES PATENT Ormea.

THOMAS F. DE BRULER, `OF, ROCKPORT, INDIANA.

IMPROVEMENT :N COTTON-PRESSES.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 23,759, dated April 26, 1859.

.To all whom it may concern:

l Be it known that I, THOMAS F. DE BRULER, of Rockport, in the county of Spencerand State of Indiana, have invented and made certain new and useful Improvementsin Machinery for 'Packing and Pressing Cotton, Hay, Tobacco,

and other Substances; andI do hereby declare that the following isa full, clear, and exact description of the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, making a part of this specification, in whic Figure l is a perspective view of a machine complete. Fig. 2 is a top view ofthe machine.

The nature of my improvements consists of a machine for compressing substances wherein I employ two separate segments of circular rack-gearing arranged eccentrically on pivots ing is a description thereof In Fig. 1, a c a a a c is a superstructure or flooring, with a compressing-chamber or packing-box, c2 a, having a stout substantial vheadboard, a3. This packing-box is provided withr side openings, b b, and corresponding doors b2. To the other extremity or back en d ofthe flooring c c is a bracket-like attachment, c c c, clamped and braced by head blocks ell d d. Extending from end to Aend of the flooring, and at a suitable height above, is a llongitudinal platform or bridge, e e e e e, of required width, one end resting on the blocks d d, and the other end upon the top of the packing-box cc. This platform is bolted or screwed down securely in place, and has formed in it a longitudinal slot, f, of suitable length and width, and at g gis a hinged flap or trap opening. Between the yflooring c2 and the longitudinal platform or bridge c e e e c are arranged the eccentrically-operated gear-racks 7L h 7L 7i? h2 h2. These gear-racksare each composed of cogs or teeth z i z' i z' i, of required size and strength, and are inclosed or cased above and below by flange rims or bands J J J J J J, the racks being attached to or formed with radial arms or spokes K K K K K K, concentering together v and terminating in a point, L L, Figs. l and 2. Thesepoints or ends are formed with holes, whereby they are attached to pivots or bolts Wb WL.

, The gear-rack 7L h 7i is attached by its pivot .to the blocks d d d, while the gear-rack h2 h2 h2 is connected by its pivot to the end of a plunger or packing follower, n n n, formed .with a head part, n2, Fig. 2. This packing follower or plunger fits in the packing-box a c2, and slides in a slot or way, o, formed in the fiooring c c c. The gear-racks h h 7L and .h2 h2 h2 approach each other sufciently to admit of receiving into their cogs or teeth a small pinion-wheel, P2, Fig. 2, the lower end having a short spindle or journal, which works in alongitudinal slot formed in the flooring a a. (See dots elz e2, Fig, 2.) The upper part of axle of -the pinion-wheel P2 extends upward vertical-lythrough a slot, f, in the bridge or platform e e e e, and is aHixed to a base-plate, q q q, forming the bottom part vof a sliding carriage composed of the short pillars or uprights r i" r and the top plate, s s s.

To the upper end of the axle of the pinionwheel P2 gear-wheels tt u u are attached, and

working into said gearing is a driving-wheel, o @,'all of whichl see dotted in Fig. 2. -The axle of the driving-wheel c v is sufficiently long to extend through a longitudinal slot, e210", formed in a yoke or connecting-piece, o3 '03,

supported at each end by uprights 'o4 o, at- A tached below to the platform e e e e, Fig. 1. f

The axle of said wheel connects with the center of a driving-lever orarms w u; 'w w, Fig. l. The axle of the driving-wheel o o is braced or supported byaslotted or forked bar 202102, Fig. l. The gear-racks h h and l# h2 are linked or coupled together by a connecting rod or yoke, w x, the center of which passes over the axle of the pinion-wheel u u, fitting nicely around the axle and having washers above and below. The ends of this connecting-rod are formed with eyes or perforations to receive pivot pins or bolts y y', so as to act as a pivot point or axis, and to allow the gearracks 71J h2 to retain the same relative distance apart and to prevent ungearing of the racks. To the ends of the driving levers or arms 'w w w w can be attached single-trees, if desired, and horse-power thereby applied to work the machine.

In the operation of my improvements, the hinged trap g g is lifted and the substance to be4 packed, is deposited within the packing box or chamber b l) Z, Fig. 2, the plunger or follower o1. n n being previously withdrawn, as at n2, Fig. l. The flap or trap is turned down and fastened by the bolt b3 1f', and the side doors, b2 b2, are also closed securely. rlhe chamber b b b being lled, as required, the power is applied to the driving levers or arms -w w fw w, which, being moved, communicate motion to the gear u a, which, being connected to the pinion-wheel l, Fig. 2, causes the gear-rack 7L 7b h to move along from left to right across the flooring, and to stop in position, as indicated in Fig. 2, while the gear-rack h2 h2 moves from right to left, or in an opposite direction, as in Fig. 2, thus causing the plunger or follower n n to move forward within the packing-box a2 a2 b b and closely compressing the substance therein. The operation of packing is continued until the required amount of substance is compressed. When the plunger or follower is withdrawn, the gearing-racks are in a reverse Y position, as represented in Fig. l, and the driving lever or arm w w w w performs two and a half circuits or sweeps to one complete motion or stroke of the plunger, and at every stroke thereof the driving-lever w w w 'w has to be reversed in'order to withdraw the plunger u n, the length or stroke thereof being about one-half the distance of the sweep or play of the gear-racks 7L and h2. As the plunger enters or advances, the power or lever pressure increases in proportion as the distance from m m2 is increased over the distance fromm to m3, Fig. 2. rlhis variation of radii gives the eccentricity of motion, acting in reality on theA principle ot' two wedges approaching each other, similar to the shapes indicated by the dotted lines w2 fw and w* 105, FiO. 2. If the axis or pivot point fm, fm, on which the gearrack moves, was transferred or changed to the point y f1] of the connecting-yoke or couplingroda: w, then the gear-racks would move in concentric circles or directions, and consequently nopressure or leverage power would ensue therefrom, the 'concentric circuit being indicated by the dotted arc m2, Fig. 2. With an increase of length of segment gear-rack the plunger or follower u a obtains an increased length of stroke or play with a more continned power.

The small pinion-wheel P2, Fig.

2, in its revolutions back and forth, is checked by the little projection or iianges z z z z, so that when reaching said point the extent of power is attained. The pinion l?2 must then be reversed, and the gear-racks run back, to release the pressure of the plunger. As the gearracks move eccentrically from right to left over the flooring a a a, the pinion-wheel I)2 should operate both racks simultaneously, and as the gear-rack l1, moves on a stationary pivot or axis the gear-rack h2 moves forward with its axis. Consequently, it is necessary that the traversing pinion P2 be made to traverse back and forth in the slot of the 'flooring a a a a through the intervention of the sliding carriage q q r r s s, Fig. l, which moves to and fro in a rectilinear direction over the platform e e e e, thus compensating the wedge-pressure and causing the gear-racks to move parallel to each other, the connecting-rod or yoke-bar a.' :v keeping the racks parallel in their movements. The power applied to the driving-lever is transmitted from the gear c c to the second gearfv2 '112, and thence to the gear u u, which is attached to the axle of the traversing pinion P2. When the substance to be packed has received the desired amount of compression, the side flaps or doors, b2 b, are opened and the compressed mass withdrawn.

The machine orpress can be constructed of any ysubstantial shape, suitable size and power, and operated either by manual agency or horse-power, which can be so applied as to be readily reversed in changing the movement in and out of thefollower or plunger, and the turning ofthe driving-lever w w w fw.

Having described the nature, construction, and operation of -my improvements, and desiring to have the same secured by Letters Patent of the United States, what l claim is l. The construction and arrangement of the eccentrically-operated gear-racks h 7L h 76 h2 h'l with the connecting rod or yoke a' y y, Figs. l and 2, as described.

2. The combination of the said devices with the plunger or follower a n a, substantially as set forth and described.

3. The construction and arrangement and combination of the traversing pinion l?2 with the sliding carriage q q r r s s, and driving lever or arms fw 'w ww, substantially as set forth and described.

THOMAS r. DE BRULER. LL. 5.]

Witnesses:

LYMAN S. GILKEY, ARTHUR WHITE. 

